The 5 Fastest Ways To Get To Halifax

There is no shortage of ways to get to Halifax, take your pick

By HEATHER LAURA CLARKE on May 9, 2017

By air, by sea or by land, we’re just happy you’re coming for a visit. There are no shortage of route options, so you get to choose the one that best suits your travel style. Here’s a quick round-up of the many different ways you can travel to Halifax, Nova Scotia …

PLANES

If it’s your first time at the Airport, you’ll find it easy to spot someone to help you: just look for tartan!

“Our Tartan Team volunteers are always happy to provide a friendly, Nova Scotian welcome to arriving passengers and if tourists have questions they will be happy to help them as best they can,” says Ashley Gallant, spokesperson for the Halifax International Airport Authority.

While you’re there, don’t forget to stop by the Nova Scotia Visitor Information Centre located in the arrivals area. You’ll find insider info on what to do during your trip, as well as helpful brochures and maps.

Air Canada Plane. Photo Credit: Herald File

TRAINS

Hopping on a train to Nova Scotia guarantees you’ll get a scenic travel experience. Check out the routes and schedules at VIA Rail Canada to determine the best way to get here. Treat yourself to the upgraded Sleeper Plus class, if you really want to make it a comfortable ride.

Entrance to the VIA Rail train station in Halifax. Photo Credit: Herald File

AUTOMOBILES

If you enjoy driving, you’ll see that there are plenty of different routes to get to Halifax. Hop on the Trans-Canada Highway and follow the signs for Halifax, and you get to make a choice just past the airport on how you’d like to approach the city.

When the highway forks, you can continue along Hwy. 102 to go past Lower Sackville, Bedford, Clayton Park and Bayers Lake on your way downtown. Or you can veer left on Hwy. 118 and drive through Dartmouth to experience driving over one of the two bridges that connect Dartmouth and Halifax.

As the digital signage — and the locals — will tell you, the Macdonald bridge is occasionally closed for re-decking, so the Mackay bridge might be a better choice until the work is finished. The view from either bridge is outstanding, especially on a sunny day.

FERRIES

If you’re traveling from the U.S., consider taking the CAT from Portland, Maine to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. It’s a high-speed ferry that makes the trip in just five and a half hours.

If you’d rather not drive from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia, you can hop on the MV Fundy Rose in Saint John and cruise all the way to Digby. You’ll be treated to incredible views of the world-famous Bay of Fundy.

If you’re wrapping up a visit on PEI and ready to come to Nova Scotia, you can take a short 75-minute ferry ride from Wood Islands to Caribou. You’ll save up to 100km of driving!

Bay Ferries Limited The Cat is shown above. Photo Credit: Herald File

BUSES

If you’re planning to bus to Nova Scotia, Maritime Bus has routes to Halifax from all over New Brunswick and PEI. You can also transfer to a bus in Quebec that will bring you to Halifax.

If you’re already at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, there are bussing options for you, too, if you don’t want to catch a taxi, jump in a hotel shuttle or rent a vehicle.

Halifax Transit runs a bus from the airport to downtown Halifax every 30-60 minutes that costs just $3.50 per person ($2.75 for children and seniors). Exact change is required, but you can head to the Security Administration Office on the airport’s ground level if you need to break a $20 for the bus.